Fumigating apparatus.



C. DE FREE, A. LEENHOUTS-z IMT. MERSEN.

' FUMIGATING APPARATUS.

' APPLIUATION FILED MAY 16,1907.

l ATT NEY.

C. DE PREE, A. LEENHOUTS d; J. J. MERSEN.

y PUMIGATING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED 11111111907.`

973,634. Patented 001251910. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

4 uw I, w1 1 e9 LQ!- QUQL WITNESSES.- au. ab QM il: J5 IN VENTO/es, @wweMyomv. 51M? wm ...M7 5.557%@ I @M'/M/ ATT EY.

citizens of the United which the following l and other parts.

- vUNITED, fsTATEsPATENT onirica.

CRNELIUS DE FREIE, ABRAHAM LEENHOUTS, AND JOl-IN J'. MRSEN,`OF HLLAND,

' MICHIGAN.

FUMIGATING APPARATUS.

Application filed May 16,

To a?? whom #may concern:

Be it known that we, ConNELIUs DE Pana, ABRAHAM LnnNHoU'rs, andJoHN J.MEnsEN, States, residing at Holland2 in the cou/inty of Ottawa and Stateof Michl an, have invented new and-useful Improve ents in FurnigatingApparatushof is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful im rovements in fumigatingapparatus. 'lille object of the invention is in extremely simple,el'licient and cheap form an apparatus for the production offormaldehyde gas, or other gases, for disint'ecting4 or germicidal puroses.

The common, e lcient method of fumigating by formaldehyde gas is toprocure from places where it may be kept for sale ready prepared watersuitably charged with this gas, and then Vaporize the same in specialapparatus prepared lfor that purpose, inc uding a proper receptacle,alcohol lamp,

and han- The procurin thus charge is diiiicult dling of the water andexpensive,` ceptacles carefully sealed; and the usual efficientvaporizing apparatus is expensive and must remain for several hours inthe room which is being fumigated. The duplication of such' apparatus inlarge numbers so that many rooms couldbe treated at' the same timewou-ld be impracticably expensive, and-totreat only one room at -a timeis unsatisfactorily slow. *These diiiculties we avoid by providing anapparatus which canl be sold at retail for a price so trifiing that itcan .be used,-4 and thrown away, so that it is feasible to. treat alarge number of rooms at as nearly the same time the successivepreparation of the'rooms and placing of the apparatus will permit.

Specifically, our objects are to provide an efiicient organizedstructure of lamp and vaporizer and to rovide and improved cartridgestructure or formaldehyde disinfecting. This object we accomplish by thedevice shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sideelevation of the comlete device, placed in alpan of water, the atterbeing shown invertical cross sect-ion. Fig. 2'represents al verticalcross section of the device on line S-s of Fig'. l. Fig. 3 is anenlarged View of a portion of the upperA part of the' apparatus shown inFig. 2. Fig.

to provide)l usually requiring glass re? Specification ofLetters Patent.Patented Oct. 25, 1910.

1907. Vsmaiu. 373,947.

4 isa top plan View on the line .fa-w of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is an enlargedview of a portion of the lower part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2.Fig." Gzis a detail of the wick.

The entire metal part of the device is c'onstructed preferably of verylight tin, or some similar metal which can be easily struck up into therequired shape.

l is the main lower chamber of the device corresponding to lthe lampbody, or fuel reservoir, of a vaporizing lamp. This body or bowl isdeveloped upward by the continuous Vertical wall 2 extending above theopenings 6 and the inwardly struck projections 9, 4and permitting theupper receptacle or container to be inserted and .held closely by thisupper end of the bowl portion and to be supported by projections 9serting too far, thus accurately spacing and adjusting the upperreceptacle.

3 is a receptacle which we call a container, made of size correspondingto the lmnp' bowl, and so that it will fit into the openA top of thelatter and form a closure therefor.

This container has near its upper edge the uously attached at its loweredge to the body y l. "It, operates as hereinafter described. v

6-6 are rectangular openings through the side ofthe body 1 adapted toadmit air to support combustion, and to permit the escape of theproducts of combustion. vThere niay be as many of these, and they may beof such size and shape, as the proper aiding of combustion and theproper maintenance of the lamp flame require."

Lrepresents apan.- or basin, and 8 the body of water contained therein'.

body 2 and forming-a support for the upper container-3 accuratelyspacing the same as Aabove described. We have shown them in theformof'separate depressions from the exterior instead oin the form of a continuous rib. or beads f 10 is the wick' constructed of asbestos, orother similar non-combustible rigid sub- 9`9 are inward projections fromthe stance.` y f ll is the body of fuel designed to be 25 y the devicesare placed in a dish of water,

burned through the medium of the Wick, and covering the bottom of thelamp bowl.

This fuel body extends up the side of the wick, as shown by theextension 11.

12 represents the body vof the substance to be vaporized, held in thecontainer 3. 13 is an insulating coating between such container and suchcontained body, and 13 is a coating for the upper portion of the body ofthe contained substance.

The' lamp part of our improved struct-ure can, of course, bemade use ofto evaporate any suitable deodorizing or disinfectlng material, but isespecially adapted for developing ythe gases from our container andlcontents, above described, which 1s, 1n reality,a cartridge es eciallyformed for the development and ,distribution of gaseous formaldehyde,developing the saine from the paraforrnaldehyde vcontained therein. Wedesire tocomrnent also that the cartridge can be made use of inconnection with any proper heating 4means without using our speciallamp. We have, however, especially,

adapt-2d the one to the other, so that, when the lamp is designed tolast just long enough -to gasify the formaldehyde of the charge, and,owing 'to the relation and proort'lon of parts, the flame is maintainedat I Just the right elevation to insure propel' is the purpose ofourguard fiange 5.

- projects outwardly only to a suicient height,

` exit of the products of combustion.

heating and to avoid overheating and to drive out all of the gas-that iscontalned in the 'cartridge charge.

This structure enables us to greatly econol n'iize in theuse1 of fueland the chargebf paraiiin for fuel varies but. a very few grams in thedifferent devices which we lput'put, it being our purpose to all owtwoor three. rains extra of the material .to insure itsv ldompleteoperation.

This device is intended to be .used either,

for merely deodorizing purposes or for germicidal purposes, and isgenerally adapted to usel substances which may be vaporized or'convertedinto gaseous form. Some features of it are especially adapted for theproduction of formaldehyde gas..

Any device of this character must be left unattended in a close room forlseveral hours. It develops considerable heat, and it is customary, as aprecaution, to set the same in a pan or dish of water.

Unlessi especial care is used, the water may a'ccidentally .pa'ssthrough the openings 66land extin- To prevent 'this accident guish theame.

and it isremoved `from the b o y a sufeignt distance, -so as to notinterferey with'thegentrance of air to." the interlorinorf-with theAti-the same time, it absolutely prevents the-vvater from enteringthese'openingsi and-it is so proportioned that, if desired, it will'float quantity of water was Iadded, the device would fioat before -anywater would pass over the edge of the guard flange 5. In this Way alsoinjury or damage of re from excesslve heat upon the bottom may beavoided. The commercial utility of a device of this character dependslargely upon carryinof the body to bevaporized in solid form, and theeiiiclent vaporizino' of such body in solid, or approximately solid,form within the time for whlch such a device can be ke t burningrequires .a high degree of vheat Eiilicult to produce 1n astructurelsosimple and cheap that it can be economically thrown away. Toproduce the result requires a very accurateand exact determination ofthe proper thickness and character of metal,- air and combustionopenings, quantity and arrangement of fuel, and more especially of thedistance from the flame to the bottom of the container. Obviously theburning away of an ordinary wick, thus increasing this distance, would.destroy the operation, and 'We of adjusting thewick, because the devicemu t work automatically. Obviously, also, any? ordinary iiat wick offibrous material, as soon as 1t becomes heated', and therefore soft,would fall down; even if of round form and if of a height'two or moretimes heat if it was sufficiently soft and fibrous properly' to carrythe fuel. .We have found I y very careful ,experiment that/an asbestoswick of round form and of a'hei ht not more thantwice its diameter wille ciently convey the oilor other material and will work ywithoutcollapsing under heat and without danger of being' turned over by anyordinary. jar,- .and will thus maintain throughout the operation andwith certainty the proper space distance between the iiame and thebottomof the container. The wick should be of rigid material. We find alsothat for eilicient operation vthe ilame prol duced by this wick shouldbe o posite the openings 6-6, and the top o? the wick toms of these onings andthat the top of the wick should)e bowl and the bottom of thecontainer, an that this peculiar form and location and extent of wickwill produce a proper amount something which will solidify at Ordinartemperatureaas does parajlin. This solidi'- `icat1on, also, is necessary1n. order to. maintain the wick in .its'f'erect,p.osition,fbecauseshould therefore be slightly below the bot'- i be approximately one-halfthe distance between the bottom of the lam the entire dev ice in thewater body. 'For example, in Fig. 1, ifa slightly additional,

cannot resort to the ordinary lamp means' its diameter, it. would alsocollapse under v The device would operate with any suit- I 11-11, .butfor commercial utility,'and,` in

the predetermined length and position of the wich is not iu any othermanner :1t-,l tachell to the lamp lwaiy or held in position. l lt isevident that it such fuel likeparatin is poured into the device whenliquid and the i wick is coated therewith, it. will, as it cools andIsoliditiesv,hold the wich in position, and then later, when a match isapplied, melting-enough at the top of the wick so that it will ignite.the heat of thel flame will continue to melt the solidified fuel and itwill be carried in the usual way to the point of i combustion. At thesame time, as above explained, the n(1n-combustible wick, on account ofits peculiar size and proportions, will maintain its erect position, andwill not fall over into the fuel, setting tire to it generally, orotherwise interfere with the normal operation. This cooperation betweenthe wick and the predetermined position of the bottom `of the containerfixed by the supporting retainers t), insures the perfect and continuousvaporization of the contents of the container.

lVe design to use fornmldehyde gas in what may be unt echnically calledsolid form. It may be produced in this .so-called solid form in variousmethods, but. the preparation commercially known as panatormalde hydemay be taken as an example and may be used in this device as one of the.so-called solid forms of formaldehyde. lYhen, however, heat is appliedto paraformaldehyde, the tendency is to dissipate it in the air in theform of minute particles rather than as a true gas, and the presence ofmoisture in connection with the 1 )araforn1aldehyde is important foreliieientV vaporization or gasifying, if, indeed, a true gas may beproduced lat all fron-1 this particular form of solid formaldehyde. lVe,therefore, provide a moistening agent, as oil, for our solidformaldehyde, and in the 'drawing we re-pre sent this body ofparaformaldehyde, or other solid formaldehyde, mingled with the mois,-tening agent` by the numeral I2. .Ve find that an oil suitable. for suchmoistening agency is to be had by taking one' part of glycerin andone-haltI part of paraffin, and of this mixture. we use a quantity equalto not less than one nor more than. tive per cent. of the solidformaldehyde with which it4 is admixed. This composition will not keepforl any lengtlrof time without deterioration or injury if in contactwith tin or similar metal. live, therefore. line or coat the interior ofour container 3 'with a coat of paraffin, or oil, preferring a materialthat will solidify .when cold. This coating is represented by the number13. lVe also cover the top of composition 1'2 with a coat.- ing 13 ofparatlin or similar substance, preferring, as explained, `.o11e whichwillbe solid when cold. This coating 13 serves a double purpose. It actsas a' seal, preventf ing the evaporation of the oil or other moistureeo11tai1'1ed in the composition l2, there fore. maintaining`tl1eiiolnposition in proper condition for el'ticient vaporization,while, at the'same time, it, under the ope-ration of heat, automaticallyu'nseals the composition and permits .the vaporsl or gases formed toescape up through it. lt also operates to prevent the boilingl oroverflow of the composition, and this is exceedingly important. llhensutlicient heat is applied tov cause vaptnization, or produce gas, anysuch composition tends to boil over. This not only prevents proper.vaporizatioin but the formaldehyde is inflammable, and it is liable,upon such boiling over; to take tire and be consumed, thus making thefumigation inefficient even if the tire does no other harm. Te tind'that this coating of paraffin or similar substance on the surface ofthe composition, when melted, prevents such boilingr over both by actingas oil does upon water and by measurably combining withthe compositiona11df"in'odifying its action under heat and thuspeianits the process ofvaporization or gasification to be continued to its completion insasteady and reliable way.

In this specification, we have used the expression paratli11' i'elatingboth to the fuel and also to the envelop or covering for theformaldehyde preparation in the Vaporizing receptacle. -Te wish to saythat we use that expression ina general sense, to not only embraceparatlin, but equivalent substances. t

The removable cover t also protects from evaporation or drying out thecontents of the container, and is easily slipped off when the device isto be used.

The entire construction is su'ch that the device can be manufactured andsold for a trifling price, and can be economically purchased in largenumbers by boards of healthand others who do large amounts of fumigatingand can be used then thrown away, all at much less cost. than isinvolved in using a permanent vaporizing apparatus. We` find by actualuse that the described means of providing moisture for and rev tainingmoisture inthe formaldehyde com position preserves it. in perfect formfor ready use and under all ordinary commercial conditions,

Having thus described our invention, what We claim to have invented, anddesire to secure by Let-ters Patent, is-

1. As an vlarticle of manufacture, a prepared fumigating deviceconsisting of, in

combination, al lamp bowl'having an imperforate bottom and, openings forthe circulation of air to the'fiame, a reservoir having an imperforatebottom carried by the lamp bowl and-adapted t-o contain the material tobe v-aporized, no11combustible wick larried immediately by the bottom ofthe lamp circulation of air to the fiame, a reservoir having animperforate bottom carried by the lamp bowl and ada ted to contain thematerial to be vaporize a non-combustible wick carried immediatel thelamp bowl and! stan ing thereon, and a l solid fusible combustible bodyis continued in a thin combination, a lamp bowl 3o rial Ato be va orizebody of paraiiin also'carried immediately by the lamp bowl and by whichalone the wick is held in erect position within the lamp, which solidoil sheet along the sides of the Wick upwardly extending from the mainportion thereof.

3. As an article of manufacture, a prepared fumigating device consistingof, in

having an imperforate bottom and` having openings for the circulation ofair to the flame, a reservoir havin an imperforate bottom carriedr bythe lamp owl and ada ted to contain the mated), a hollow self supportingnon-com ustible wick carried immediately bythe bottom of the lamp bowland standing thereon and a Asolid fusible com- 4 busti'ble body ofparailin also carried imme- 3'5 diately bythe lamp bowl and by whichalone .the wick is held in erect position within .the lamp, which solidbody is continued in a thin sheet along the sides of the wick` upwardlyextending from the main portion thereof,

40 whereby as the surrounding solid fuel body is consumed. t-he wicking.

4. As an article of manufacture, a prepared fumigating device consistingof, in

remains self-supportcombination, a4 lamp bowl having an i1n perforatebottom/and having openings for the cireulation'of air tothe fiame, areservoir having an imperforate-bottom carried by the lamp bowl andadapted to contain the SQmaterial to be vaporized, a wick carried by Ysuch lamp bowl,

a solid fusible combustible body of paraiin carried by the lamp bowl.and surrounding the wick and an upwardly andv outwardly flaring guardflange springing from the lamp bowl at a point below the .60combination,

1n d 'fusible' combustible *body o openings in such bowl Aand extendingto a point a ove Ithe same.- 5. As an'article of manufacture, vaprepared -fumigatingdevice consistingof, in

a 1am 'bowl'having'an imperforate bottom an having openings there- 1nfor the: circulationv of air to the flame, a self-supportin upont-hebowl' a ttom ofv such lamp paradn combination,

by the bottom of .water receptacle,

.porizable l material suitable detachable cover for t non-combustiblewick. rest-l contained in such bowl and surrounding and securing saidwick in` Q'sition, and a reservoir carried b y and al ove such lamp bowland containing a formaldehyde body and a moistening agent incorporatedtherewith.

6. As anvarticle of manufacture, a prepared fumigating device consistingof, in

a lamp bowl having an imperforate bottom and having openings therein forthe circulation'of air to the flame, a self-supportin non-combustiblewick resting upon the ottom of such lam bowl, a solid fusiblecombustible body o araliin .contained in such bowl and surrounding andsecuring such wick in position, and a reser- Voir carried by and abovesuch lamp bowl and containing a solid formaldehyde body and a moisteningagent incorporated therewith and carrying also a solid paralin coveringsealing such' formaldehyde body.

7. As van article of manufacture, a prepared fumigatin device consistingof, in combination, a so id formaldehyde body, an intermixed moisteningagent, a close tting container therefor havin sides extending above suchformaldehyde odynd air sealing parain coating upon the upper surface ofsuch formaldehyde body and carried by .and held within such container,means for such container, and means for 95 sup ortin app ying eat to theunder surface thereof w ereby the contents may be vaporized.

8. As an articlev of manufacture, a prepared fumigating deviceconsisting of la metallic container, a solid paraiiincovering upon theinterior surface thereof, a solid formaldehyde body carried within suchcontainer and kept by such solid paraffin covering from contact with themetal thereof, a solid paraiin and air-sealing coating resting upon andcarried by the formaldehyde body and uniting with the interior coatinglof the container completel to surround and protect the solid formaAdehyde bod means for supporting1 such container, an means for applyingeat to the under surface thereof and thereby vaporizing the contents.

9. As an article of manufacture, a prepared fumigating ,device consistinof a a lamp receptac e with closed bottom and' sides with-draft openingsto admit air to support combustion, lan incombustible wick arranged insaid lamp bowl, a solid fusible paraffin fuel in the bottom of said lampbowl and supporting the lsaid inoombustible Wick, a rece tat-.1esupported above said lamp with imperfbrate si es and bottom, a solidformaldehyde vaincased in a layer of said .rece tacle, and a iie saidrecepparailin` within the tacle. i i

10. As an article of manufacture, a prepared fumigatmgV deviceconsisting of a amp receptacle with bottom and' sides with draftopenings to admit air to support:- eombustion, an incombustible wickarranged in said lamp boWl, a solid fusible parafiin fuel in the bottomof said lamp bowl and supporting the said incoinbustible wick, areceptacle supported above said/lamp With imperforate sides and bottom,a solid formaldehyde vaporizable material incased in a layerof .paraffinWithin the said recep- `tacle, and a suitable detachable cover for thesaid receptacle.

ff 1l. As an article of manufacture, a prepared fumigating deviceconsisting of a lamp receptacle With closed bottom and sides th draftopenings to admit air to support zcon'ibustion, a self supporting Wickin said lamp bowl, a solid fusible fuel surrounding the said Wick in thesaid lamp bowl, a re.- ceptacle suitably supported above said lamp withimperforate sides and bottom, a formaldehyde vaporizable material,suitably supported in said receptacle, and a layer of paraffinsurrounding the said vaporizable material in said receptacle.

l2. As an article of manufacture, a prepared fumigating deviceconsisting of a` lamp receptacle with closed bottom and sides With draftopenings to admit air to support combustion, a. self supporting Wick insaid lamp bowl, 'a solid fusible fuel surrounding' 4the said Wick in thesaid lamp bowl, a re'- ceptacle suitably supported above said lampWithimperforate sides and bottom, and a formaldehyde vaporizablematerial in a suitable moistening medium', suitably supported in saidreceptacle.

13. As an article of manufacture, a prepared fumigatin'g deviceconsisting` of 'a lamp receptacleivith, closed bottom and sides withdraft openings to admit air to support combustion, a self supporting,`Wick in said lamp bowl, a solid fusible fuel surrounding the said wickin the said lamp bowl, a receptacle suitably supported above said lampwith imperforate sides and bottom, and al formaldehyde vaporizablematerial suitably supported in said receptacle.

141 In a funngating device, a suitable va' porizing receptacle, a lampreceptacle arranged beneath saidlvaporizing receptacle, a selfsupporting incombus'tible annular Wick arranged in the said receptacle,and al fusible fuel surrounding the saidl Wick, coactii'ig With saidfuel in the said receptacle.

15. In a fumigating device, a suitable vaporizing receptacle, a. lampreceptacle arranged beneath said vaporizing receptacle, a self suporting incombustible Wick 1n said .receptac e, and a suitable solidfusible fuel surrounding the said Wick in the lsaid receptacle.

lf3. In a fumigating device, the combination with suitable. heatingmeans of :i r4 eeptacle for the fumigating material, a solidformaldehyde material adinixed with a suitable moistening agent, and acoating of paraflin lining the said receptagfe and in- I s v casing thesaid formaldehyde material, eo

acting for the purpose specified.

f7. In a funligating device, the combination with suitable heatingmeans` of a receptacle for the fumigating material, a solid formaldehydematerial. and a coating of paraffin lining' the said receptacle and in--casing the said formaldehyde materia-l. eo-

actingl for the purpose specified.

1S. In a fumigating device, a lamp con sisting of a proper receptacle,au annular self supporting asbestos wiel; arranged within the saidreceptacle and a fusible parafiiu fuel in the said lamp surrounding and.supporting the said wick, and a vaporiyfng receptacle suitablysupported above said lamp;

19. In' a fulnig'atingl device, a lamp consisting' of a properreceptacle. a self 4supporting asbestos wick arranged Within the saidreceptacle, and a fusible paraffin fuel `in the said lamp surrounding'and supporting' the said wick. and a vaporizing receptacle suitabl)Ysuplviorted above said lamp.

:20. In a fumigating` device. a cartridge consistingl of an exteriormetallic shell with an ilnperforate bottom, a paraiiin lining' for thesame. a charge of pa 'aformaldehyde ndn'iixed with a inoistening agent,and a layer of paraffin over the said charge hcrmetically 'sealing thesame whereby on the applica-l tion of heat to the outer easingr theparatiiu fusesfornnng' an oily layer over the charge and regulating theei-'aporation oflt 1e same and insuringl its `'asifieation andprerqptingj Witnesses.

CORNELIUS DE PRICE. ABRAHAM LEENIOU'IS. JOHN J. MENSEN. fifnesses 'Il'.J. SNrnnNs, Wm. J. VVns'wiucn.

